Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-29
I'd EDITION.
--latest qHl6gTanS 10 The Star.


President COrbin Defines the Attitude
Of the Company Toward the Knis hts.
NEw YORK, Dec. 2e.-Austin Corbin, president Of
the Reading Railroad, plainly defined the position
OF the company toward its employees In letter
sent at noon to-day TO A. A. Mcleod, general man
ager, wth Instructions to communicate 1t TO the
men. II read as follows:
40 such OF our old employees who have stood
faithfully by US we feel obliged and thankful and
shall not forget them. but the time has now ar
decide whether they expect TO retain their
places yreoson OF honest and faithful service and
that employs them and pays them, or blind obe-
dlenee to the direction OF the Knights OF Labor,
Through which men me S nope 70
order. The men that stand by US
hours aud good pay, as much as Is paid by any
other corporation or q similar character. Men who
do not win never be allowed on the road again un-
lected TO labor organizations and do not now.
Every man shall be free 10 belong TO
one or not as he peases, but the heads OF such
orders cannot and shall not dictate to this COM
pany as TO whom It snail employ or how operate
rs property Places that are left in obedience TO
orders OF the Knights OF Labor will be nlled
with new men, and such new men
will be retained, and under no circumstances will
be discharged TO make room for men VINO have left
their places Hereafter we Will operate this prop
erty with employees who consider their first duty
Is 10 the company and expect to obey
business. There has never been q moment when,
under any circumstances we would arbltrate
any question growing out OF THIS Strike;
There has been nothing TO arbitrate. IL 10
only question as to whether the company Will be
permitted 10 operate It's own property property
In which there Is invested over soo,ooo,oo0Mof
by the Knights OF Labor. 1t may as
Will be understood now and from this time on that
shall be turned on the orders OF that company and
under the orders OF nobody else"
To-NIGHT's CONVENTION AT READING.
READING Pa. Dec. 29.-Ine vanguard OF dele
gates 10 the convention OF Reading railroad eul-
poyes TO be held In this city tonight arrived this
morning. Tue convention IS TO be held In Excel
sior Hail, q commodiouS BUILDING, which mas Oeen
used for several years extensively for Knights Of
Labor meetings. The main meeting room Will
seat 1000 persons Every local assembly OF the
Knights OF Labor In the anthracite region, EN-
braclng the Sehuy ekiil, LehgB, and wyoming
regions, Will be July represented in this city To-
night, and the meeting Will be one OF the most
IMPORTANT that has been held for u long time,
as II will decide whether the knights Will
pool their issues in the rgnt and stand together or
the lew delegates on hand, the majority who are
from the coal regions still TAX fight, because they
say that the company has betraJ ed its obiigatons
when IL agreed TO aruitrate and reinstate ali en-
ployes. whereas now they say the company OH
Gals have discharged nearly one thousand men
and refuse TO arbltrate. Delegates and employees
In Reading and vicinity are practically united
against any STRIKE but favor settling down TO Work
they were several weeks ago ali along the line,
question first, as IL was arbitrated before. Presi-
dent Corbin's answer 10 the joint committee OF
miners representing the Knights OF LABOR and
AmalgaIuated Association which offered TO act as
mediator between tine railroad company officials
and striking rallroaders II any is received, Will be
read at the meeting Tonight. The notice posted
up by the company Offering reward OF 81 600 for
the arrest and conviction OF persons found guilty
OF violence TO Company einp.oyeS or properly
causes considerable Indignation among knights all
over the main line. Chairman John L. Lee, OF the
knights executive committee declared last night
thai the meeting at Reading ton gnt will Induce
a majority OF Philadelphia and Reading employees
10 strike 1f peace Is not declared. vi the CON-
pany's rorty-fOur working collieries IN the Schuy
Kill regions thirteen were at work to-day. Or the
otaers twenty were Idle for want OF cars, four on
account OF the storm. and two Tor repairs. Mean
while all trains are running, and it Is believed here
that the railroaders strike Is over A coal miners
strike alone Is ieared.
TIE KNIGHTS REPRESENTATIVES TREATED vzRY
CAyALiERLY.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 29.-lne officers OF the Read
ing Railroad GO. and committee from the ex-
ecutive committee OF the striking employees who
belong TO the Knights OF Labor cine together
again this morning and parted after a snort
but stormy session, In which the company refused
70 recognize the callers as committee, but
agreed 10 recognize them as individuals, and
in which the latter refused to be
recognized and demanded a conference a. o
Knights OF Labor committee, and, being refused
this, left In anger. Chairman Joan L Lee, OF the
executive committee, was the spokesman Tor the
Knights OF Labor, md he bore tue brunt OF the
snort but spicy debate, and when IT was
over he said 1t was the last chance the company
would ever have or treating Win the committee OF
treatment he and his fellows received this morn
ing, and unless the comp Any's uf11cers conceded
recognition To the Knights as a body.
The Burning Of the lsIingaon Theater.
Special Cable Dispatch to The EVENING srAA
LONDON, Dec 29.-Tne destruction by IRE Of the
Grand Theater at ISlington this morning Will have
pre1udcial effect on the business OF the theaters